FUCKIN´ THRRASSHH...!!! Oh yes, why is that so-called old school Thrash Metal always seems to appeal to most metalheads in general? Does it have something to do with the fact bands like Slayer, Exodus, Destruction, Onslaught, Dark Angel, Vio-lence, and the likes, have ruled the metal scene for almost 3 decades? No matter if bands have ceased to exist or not, the music still continues on living for ages! There’s no end in sight for the overall popularity of this style of, ´old school´ metal. This is naturally a good thing. Or, is it just that we so-called ´old farts´ - the true fans of all these particular bands in question, have stuck with one thing for so long? Perhaps we most likely, do NOT want to learn any new things (in metal), and that way be forced with the possibility to move on from one class to another, from ´old school´ to ´new school´? Oh well, whatever the answers will be, obviously this is not the right time for any speculation or guessing. Let’s just welcome Bloodride to our ´old school´ classroom as they have something to teach us.

Lesson One: A Lesson In Violence.

These Finnish old school thrashers, Bloodride, have surely learnt their homework well when talking about such adjectives in Thrash Metal as ´aggressive´, ´neck-breaking´, ´slayer-ish´ and ´violent´. “Thrown into Darkness (Unholy War)” starts off a bit like an infernal Slayer song “Hell Awaits” - and as soon as the song bursts into this speed, there’s no return from that path. This song is a really catchy, teeth-crushing opener that insists you to push the ´Repeat´ button instantly.

Lesson Two: A Lesson In Heaviness (and Slayer-ism, too).

“Graveyard Shift” must be the heaviest song this fivesome has ever penned in their career. Its mid-tempo, heavy hammering riffs have been well built up, and apparently the band has really put some effort into brainstorming while thinking of the structure of this song. Pure coincidence or not, but doesn’t the middle section of the song sound like... Slayer´s “South of Heaven (starting from 1:54 minute mark)”? Ha, Slayer rules, but so does this song despite of some slight similarities to that classic Slayer -tune.

Lesson Three: A Lesson In Old School Thrash.

In “Promised”, Bloodride dive into old school Thrash Metal even more, yet even more determinedly. The band even uses those nearly forgotten backing shout parts in this song that used to be relatively typical for many Thrash Metal bands in the ´80s (Anthrax, Vio-lence, Exodus, etc. come to mind first). “Promised” is a harmonious mixture of both faster and slower elements that the band sows around in the first two songs on this demo - in the name of old school Thrash Metal, which is the only thing these old farts can do right and convincingly. Bloodride reeks of old school Thrash from Helsinki all the way to Melbourne, to SF, to Siberia. Now feel that smell in your fancy nostrils!

So, did you learn something through all these 3 lessons with Bloodride? You didn´t?! In that case you unfortunately cannot be Bloodride´s friend either, you poor fucker!